Govt to provide thrust for infrastructure development: CM

Pathanamthitta, Nov 22 (UNI) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said that the overall development of the state should be guaranteed by providing infrastructural facilities.

He said this was the policy being pursued by the LDF Government, so far. As part of this endeavour, development of roads and bridges had been given top priority, he added.

The Chief Minister was speaking after opening to traffic the Rs two crore Kozhencherry-Kozhippalam bridge near Aranmula.

Mr Achuthanandan said steps had been taken to widen the three-lane National Highway-47 to four-lane and implement the long-pending Hill Highway in a time-bound manner.

The Main Central road development dropped by the UDF Government had been taken up in right earnest. The pending arrears due to contractors had already been clearead. Work had been initiated to implement the Vizhinjam port and Vallarpadam container projects.

These projects had the potential to generate lakhs of direct and indirect man-power days, he pointed out.

Mr Achuthanandan said the Kannur airport and Thiruvananthapuram international terminal would soon be completed.

He said the government had far progressed forward in making the inland waterway traffic viable.

PWD Minister Mons Joseph chaired the function. Transport Minister Mathew T Thomas delivered the keynote address.

Later, inaugurating the Rs five-crore municipal bus-stand here, the Chief Minister said local self-government institutions should focus on garbage disposal rather than reinforcing the infrastructural facilities.

He said the government would provide five cents each to landless families within two years.

UNI XR CR LS KN2015